In both individual athletes and group therapy applications, performance enhancement strategy is one of the primary concerns addressed by sports psychologists during treatment. Qualified sports psychologists may provide counseling services to athletes, coaches, trainers and parents, offering methods of optimizing mental response to team sports and athletic activity.
Some therapists use hypnosis to recover possibly repressed memories they believe are linked to the person's mental disorder. However, the quality and reliability of information recalled by the patient under hypnosis is not always reliable. Additionally, hypnosis can pose a risk of creating false memories -- usually as a result of unintended suggestions or the asking of leading questions by the therapist. For these reasons, hypnosis is no longer considered a common or mainstream part of most forms of psychotherapy. Also, the use of hypnosis for certain mental disorders in which patients may be highly susceptible to suggestion, such as dissociative disorders, remains especially controversial.

We’ve had the privilege of partnering with the following organizations to significantly impact their performance, culture and bottom-line results. While some of these corporations have directly hired us to work in an executive coaching or training capacity, others represent corporations in which one or more senior executives or partner-level leaders have hired us independently.

Arousal regulation refers to entering into and maintaining an optimal level of cognitive and physiological activation in order to maximize performance. This may include relaxation if one becomes too anxious through methods such as progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, and meditation, or the use of energizing techniques (e.g., listening to music, energizing cues) if one is not alert enough.[46] The use of meditation and specifically, mindfulness, is a growing practice in the field of arousal recognition. The Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) Theory is the most common form of mindfulness in sport and was formed in 2001. The aim of MAC is to maximize human potential for a rich, full and meaningful life.[47] It includes specific protocol that involve meditation and acceptance practices on a regular basis as well as before and during competition. These protocol have been tested various times using NCAA men's and women's basketball players. In a study done by Frank L. Gardner, an NCAA women's basketball player increased her personal satisfaction in her performances from 2.4 out of 10 to 9.2 out of 10 after performing the specific MAC protocol for several weeks. Also, the effect of mental barriers on her game decreased from 8 out of 8 to 2.2 out of 8 during that same time period as a result of the MAC protocol.[48] Another study of the MAC protocol performed by Frank Gardner and Zella Moore on an adolescent competitive diver showed that when the MAC protocol is tailored to a specific population, it has the potential to provide performance enhancement. In this case, the vocabulary and examples in the protocol were tailored to be more practical for a 12-year-old. After performed the MAC protocol for several weeks, the diver showed between a 13 to 14 percent increase in his diving scores.[49] This finding is important because previously the majority of tests performed using the MAC protocol had been on world class athletes.
It is important when choosing a practice that you check if they are certified with a reputable board of hypnotherapists. Anyone can promote himself or herself as a hypnotherapist regardless of training or certification. So It pays to do a little research - however most practices are reputable with proper training. Ask where they were trained and who has certified them.
One obvious risk to patients is the insufficiently trained therapist. The inadequately trained therapist can cause harm and distort the normally pleasant experience of hypnotherapy. A second risk for patients is the unscrupulous practitioner who may be both inadequately trained and may have some hidden agenda. These rare individuals are capable of causing great harm to the patient and to the profession. As mentioned above, the patient should carefully scrutinize their chosen therapist before submitting themselves to this dynamic form of therapy.
I encourage you to take some time to become familiar with our services and the resources that are available to you in our website. You can learn more about (a) the sport psychology services that we can provide to athletes, coaches, teams, and other performers, (b) the sport psychology educational opportunities that are available through UNT, (c) our ongoing sport psychology research projects at the university and in the community, and (d) the sport psychology resources that we have developed for athletes, coaches, teams, and parents, and made available to you in this site. If you have any questions about our work, please feel free to contact us via email ([email protected]) or phone 940-369-SPORT (7767).
Following its stated goal of promoting the science and practice of applied sport psychology, AAASP quickly worked to develop uniform standards of practice, highlighted by the development of an ethical code for its members in the 1990s. The development of the AAASP Certified Consultant (CC-AAASP) program helped bring standardization to the training required to practice applied sport psychology. AASP aims to provide leadership for the development of theory, research and applied practice in sport, exercise, and health psychology.[19] Also during this same time period, over 500 members of the American Psychological Association (APA) signed a petition to create Division 47 in 1986, which is focused on Exercise and Sport Psychology.
Hypnotherapy is a form of therapy used to reprogram the subconscious mind. When under hypnosis, you put your mind and body into a heightened state of learning, making you more susceptible to suggestions for self-improvement or behavior modification. The goal is to put the subconscious and conscious mind in harmony, which in turn helps give you greater control over your behavior and emotions.
“I was an avid smoker, smoking about 2 packs per day. I was smelling like a cigarette and thought that I would never be able to stop until I read and hear about this center. It gave me hope and I tried it out. I have never smoked a cigarette again. I also have NOT gained weight. On the contrary, I have lost weight because now I am doing more sports than ever before. Everyone around me comments on how my skin is glowing. I feel FREE and most of all, it showed me that I am not controlled by anything and that I am in control of my choices and my life. I now go out with friends and drink my usual wine or beer and see smokers all around me and it seems to me like smoking is part of another life of mine, one that I already forgot about! THANK YOU GINA! I strongly recommend this method for anyone who has tried to quit alone or thinks they are a slave to cigarettes. It was a GAME CHANGER for me!” – Myrna Domit
One thing I struggle with today is cravings. I love chocolate and sweets, and oddly enough, I get through those cravings by baking. I’ll bake cookies or other desserts and bring them to school or to my friends and family so that they can enjoy. This way, I can get a little taste and yet don’t have to face constant temptation. It also helps that they enjoy my baking so much and are always grateful when I bring something over.
Since hypnotherapy is an adjunct form of therapy, used along with other forms of psychological or medical treatment, there are many applications. Hypnotherapy can be used to treat anxiety, phobias, substance abuse including tobacco, sexual dysfunction, undesirable spontaneous behaviors, and bad habits. It can be used to help improve sleep, learning disorders, communication, and relationship issues. Hypnotherapy can aid in pain management and help resolve medical conditions such as digestive disorders, skin issues, and gastrointestinal side effects of pregnancy and chemotherapy. It can also be used by dentists to help patients control their fears or to treat teeth grinding and other oral conditions.